Cutting-machine.



Nb..e5!,|09. Patented June 5, I900.

A. Emanson. cumma' MACHINE.

. (Application filed Sept. 8, 1899.) (N9 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

InvenfiJr,

Hlberf Emens on No. esuoa. Patented 1mm 5, I900.

A. amansou. I

CUTTING MACHINE.

(Application filed Sept. 8, 1899.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

I Inwenibr,

fllberf EmemOn;

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U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT EMERSON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CUTTING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 651,109, dated June 5,1900.

Application filed September 8, 1899. Serial No. 729,828. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT EMERSON, of Boston, county of Suffolk, Stateof Massachusetts, .have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCutting-Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

In trimming bound pamphlets three cuts are required, one opposite thefold or back and the others at the ends. To expeditiously do this work,it is usual to employ two cutting-machines, one for making two of therequired cuts and the other for the remaining trimming cut. Thedouble-cut machine has its brackets or stops suitably fixed at theproper distances, and the pile of publications is first pushed backagainst one bracket and cut and then turned and pressed back against theother bracket for the other out. The attempt has been made to enable asingle machine to make all three cuts by providing it with threebrackets set at the different distances; but this necessitates a largerand more expensive machine for all but smaller periodicals and actuallyeffects but a slight saving in time and expense over the usual method.

The object of my invention is the construction of means whereby a singlecutting-machine can be adapted without enlargementor change to trim allthree edges of even the largest publications, and I accomplish this byproviding one of the steps or brackets with a removable facing equal inthickness to the amount to be trimmed from one end of the publication.By such a construction the pamphlets can be first placed against thefixed bracket and their frontedges out, then have one end set againstthe other bracket with its facing removed and the opposite end out, andfinallysaid facing replaced, the pamphlets turned about and set againstit, and the last out made.

Referring to the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1is a perspective View of portions of a cutting-machine havin g myattachment applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the two brackets ofa cuttingmachine, one of which is provided with my removable facing.Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same, and Fig. A is a side elevationof the same with said facing removed.

able facing is as follows:

Referring to Fig. 1, the parts of the cuttingmachine illustratedcomprise, mainly, the table 31, the knife 32, the bracket 30, the guides33, and the strap 34:, by which the knife is drawn down and made toperform its work.

2 is the bracket, to which my removable facing 1 is applied, and mypreferable method of applying this facing is by means of the dovetailgrooves 4, planed in the bracket, and the dovetails 3 of said facingfitting the same. This is shown more clearlyin Fig. 2. To remove thisfacing, all that is needed is to raise it higher than the pile ofpamphlets, and to replace it, to slide it down again to the table. Mymeans for suitably actuating this remov- Rising from the bracket 2 is astandard 7, carrying at its upper end a swiveled block 8, and supportedby the posts 33 is a similar swiveled block 9. At tached to the facing 1bya hook 6 and passing through said blocks is a chain or other flexibleconnection 5, and adjustably fixed upon this chain is the collar ll.'The hand 10 is affixed to and moves with the strap 34 and is adapted toloosely inclose the chain 5 just above said collar. Hence when the knifedescends in cutting the pamphlets said hand moves with it and strikingsaid collar, pulls the chain 5 and raises the facing 1; but it isnecessary to keep this facing elevated for a suitable interval and thento permit it to descend just before the final cut is made. The mechanismfor .this purpose comprises the arm 15, pivoted to the floor andconnected at its free end with the chain 5 the catch 22, adapted toengage said arm, and means for disengaging said catch. Said arm beingsuitably weighted, when the chain 5 descends and the facing 1 rises thecatch 22 engages and holds these parts while the knife returns. Thecatch 22 is disengaged from the arm 15 by means of the treadle 29, shaft27, supported in bearings 28, arm 26, and rod 25, joining said arm 26with the tail 23 of the catch 22.

Bypressing the foot upon this treadle the catch is thrown away from thearm 15 and the latter released. The weight 18, held in place upon thearm 15 by the set-screw 19, serves to partially counterweight the facing1 and so prevent the latter from descending to the table 31 with toogreat a shock.

I do not connect the chain 5 directly with the arm 15, but use a slenderrod 12, formed with a elefthook 13 at its upper end, adapted to attachitself to any part or link of the chain 5. The purpose of this is topermit the cntting-machine to be adjusted for different sizes ofpamphlets. When the bracket 2 is set forward or back, the chain 5 isshortened or lengthened accordingly by simply engaging the hook 13 withthe proper link thereof, the shoulder 11 being adjusted to the requiredpoint.

The object in having the blocks 8 and 9 held by swivel-j0ints, as abovedescribed, is to keep their pulleys in suitable alinement with the chain5 notwithstanding the extent to which the bracket 2 may be adjustedtoward or from the knife.

The manner of operation of this cuttingmachine is as follows: Havingplaced a pile of pamphlets upon the table with their backs set againstthe bracket 30, the machinery is set in motion and the first cut made.This first action serves to raise the facing 1 and to lock it in suchposition, as above described, so that the operator has nothing to do butturn the pamphlets and thrust one end against the bracket 2, as shown inFig. 4, where the dotted line indicates the path of the descendingknife. As new the operator (this second out having been made) is turningthe pile of pamphlets end for end he touches the treadle 29 with hisfoot, and the facing 1 slides down into the position shown in Fig. 3,\vhereit receives and positions the pamphlets, with their uncut endsready for the final trimming action of the knife.

I have found that one of my improved cutting-machines and a singleoperator are capable of turning off more work than two inachines of theusual type with two or three men. There are several reasons combining toproduce this result, but the main one is this: In the present machinesan operator cuts the front and one end edge of a number of pamphlets andpiles them upon a bench near by. The operator on the second machine thentakes the pamphlets from this pile and proceeds to make the final cut,but when taking the pamphlets finding it necessary to jog them up, asthey of necessity become more or less displaced while being piled up. Itis mainly the placing of the pamphlets upon the bench and removing themtherefrom and jogging them up which consumes the time of the operators,so that two men and two machines of the usual form can trim fewerpamphlets than a single man on one machine having my attachment appliedthereto.

1. In a cutting-machine, the combination of the vertically-reciprocativeknife, the bracket or gage, the facing adapted to be applied toorremoved from said gage, means whereby the knife-actuating mechanismcan automatically remove said facing, a lock for retaining said facingin its removed position, and means whereby the operator can release saidfacing from said lock and permit it to return to said gage,substantially as set forth.

2. In a cutting-machine, the combination of the vertically-reciprocativeknife, the bracket or gage, the facing vertically slidable on said gage,means whereby a movement of said knife can raise said facing, a lock forretaining said facing in its elevated position, and means whereby theoperator can release said facing from said lock and permit it to descendto its position on said gage, substantially as set forth.

3. In a cutting-machine, the combination of the vertically-reciprocativeknife,the bracket, the facing vertically movable on said bracket, thesuitably-supported blocks, the flexible connect-ion passing from saidfacing through said blocks, the collar on said connection, the handmovable with said knife and adapted by its engagement with said collarto pull said flexible connection, the pivoted arm having its free endsupported by said flexible connection, the catch adapted to hold saidarm when lowered, and the treadle adapted to free said arm from saidcatch, substantially as set forth.

4. In a cutting-machine, the combination of the cutting-knife, thebracket, the post or standard rising therefrom, the swiveled block atits upper end, the facing vertically slidable on said bracket, theswiveled block supported by the framework of the cutting-machine, theapertured hand movable with said outting-knife, the chain attached tosaid facing and passing therefrom through said blocks and down throughsaid apertured hand, the collar ad justabl y secured to said chain belowsaid hand, the hooked rod adjustably attachable to said chain, thepivoted arm havingits free end supported on said rod, the adjustableweight on said arm, and the latch for engaging the free end of said arm,substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing invention I have hereunto set myhand this 23d day of August, 1899.

ALBERT EMERSON.

\Vitnesses:

A. B. UPI-1AM, LOWELL M. MAXH AM.

